My Unfortunate Fate

chapter 14

Ones at odds can become even, even for a moment.

"At least this escort mission will be entertaining," Senator Amidala sighs.
"So who got the other person mad now?" It was safe to say that she took notice of our argument pretty quickly.

I bite the inside of my lip, letting Anakin speak.

"She called me arrogant," he scoffs.

I turn to him. "You had no right to read my mind, that's private!"

Padmé rolls her eyes as the conflict sparks up again. "You two, stop fighting for now, alright?" she requests. "I don't know much about mind-reading business, but y/n is right. Anakin, realizing our flaws is the only way we grow."

He sighs and sits down on the bench by her bed, clearly tense from being called out. "I know."

I share a content look with Padmé, finally glad someone else could outsmart him. Maybe her presence won't be so bad after all.

Anakin gets up and turns to me, inching closer and closer to my body as I tense up. I freeze, my arms inching closer to the rest of my body while my shoulders raise defensively. As he nears me, I begin to push myself closer to the wall, only wishing to create space between us. "Y/n, I'm sorry."

"I know," I reply quickly, wanting the uncomfortableness of this moment to end. But it only gets worse.

He starts to look me up and down, with a smirk on his face. This was getting too similar to the memory that made me want to forget about his existence. The memory of Anakin inching closer and trying to kiss me, convinced that was what I wanted. After all, maybe it was.

His act couldn't continue down this road, not on my watch. "Cut it out, Anakin," I scowl, staring him down while scrunching my face up in disgust.

He backs away, still grasping a smug look on his face while I roll my eyes.

I glance back at Padmé, who seems just as confused but quickly goes back to packing her bags.

"I'm sorry, m'lady," Anakin apologizes. That term brought back another memory I wanted to repress for good, being back at the Temple, when we were bratty teenagers picking at each other for fun, with free-roaming sarcasm in every sentence we spoke. It's funny how these situations are oddly similar.

Padmé looks at us again, somewhat disappointed. I know she expected me to be the person to contain his attitude, not fuel it. But, sadly, I'm not that person.

I was just glad he didn't make things much worse than they were. Sure, Anakin was already basically unbearable today, but I just had to suck it up and get through this mission unscathed.

Which might prove more difficult than it seems.

***

Senator Amidala got her bags ready and we all changed before we headed down to a hangar by local transport. Master Kenobi soon joined us, as well as a few other officials and Senator Amidala's body double, Dormé.

Obi-Wan pulls his apprentice and I aside as we are about to disembark the ship. "Y/n, make sure Anakin doesn't do anything without first consulting either myself or the council."

I nod. "Yes, Master," I assure.

Anakin just stands next to me, biting his lip in frustration. I know he feels like a child, like no one trusts him with his own decisions, I can only hope he recognizes this is for the best.

"I am most thankful for your speed, Master Jedi," the senator says, offering gratitude to Obi-Wan.

"It's time to go," Anakin states. Anakin's announcement reminded me of the duty we have.